Another day grows dark, my eyes scanning the horizon, as though by some miracle I would see a sign that speaks of him. My mind cruelly plays through scenario after scenario of what might have happened two nights ago, after I had left.
"Belle?" Papa calls from my door. "You should eat."
"I'm not hungry."
"I know," he says, sitting beside me at the window. "But you haven't left your room since you came back yesterday. You really should eat a little something."
"He's gone, and it's my fault."
"You don't know that he's gone. He may still be there."
"Then why won't the mirror show me?" The tears sting my eyes anew as the next wave washes over me. Papa wraps his arms around me, pulling me in.
"You said yourself it may just be that the mirror doesn't work outside the castle," he says softly. After several moments, he adds, "You really should go tonight."
"I can't go back there, Papa."
"It's going to be worse if you don't and continue to wonder for the rest of your life than if you do and know for certain." He looks at me, his eyes softening. "I speak from experience." He stands up, smiling down at me. "But you really should consider it." I watch him walk out of the room, knowing he is right.
~*~*~*~*~
I walk down the stairs, a trail of fabric flowing behind me as I reach the landing. Papa's eyes light up as he sees me, seeing that I am taking his advice. "You look absolutely beautiful," he says, taking my gloved hands in his. "I remember when your mother wore this dress. You are definitely your mother's daughter." I smile for the first time in two days. "Come on. We've got to get you to the castle."
I hold my breath as the castle comes into view, its once dark and gloomy turrets sparkling from the torchlight below, flags waving merrily in the night breeze. My stomach ties in knots and my heart leaps into my throat as the cart stops and footmen help me down. They grin at me strangely, as though they know something I don't. I try to ignore it, pushing it out of my mind as Papa escorts me into the castle. I feel as though we're being watched as we make our way along the sparkling corridors toward the ballroom. It's all so strange to me...I spent so much time in this castle, but I could never have imagined it to be as beautiful as it is now.
Two men hold the doors of the ballroom open for us, and again, I can't help but notice the strange grins on their faces. What is this great secret they're all keeping?
The entire village fills the ballroom, and many faces I don't recognize. These are the faces that stare at me; whispers too soft to understand over the din of the crowd begin to circle the room. Surely, this isn't the same reaction everyone has received. Was it my connection with the castle that prompts them to gawk and whisper? But then, how would they know? The questions continue to circle as I hear my name called repeatedly, followed by "I am so sick and tired of hearing about Belle!!" Through the crowd, I can see the triplets standing with Gaston and another man I cannot recognize behind the mask he wears. I raise my own mask, trying to avoid Gaston, but still find out why Michelle had screamed out loudly enough for the whole of the ballroom to turn. She is as red as her gown, slinking back behind Gaston as the man turns, saying,
"Forgive me, I... didn't mean to upset you."
"Eh, don't worry about it," Gaston says with a hearty laugh. "They're just jealous 'cause Belle and I are getting married."
"You are?"
"We are?" the stranger and I say in unison. The five turn to me as I lower my mask, looking to Gaston for an explanation.
"Of course, we are," says Gaston, placing his arm around my shoulders. "How could you forget?"
"I haven't forgotten," I say, pulling away from him, "that I told you no." I find myself now standing beside the stranger, his crystal eyes staring at me as everyone else in the castle has been. My eyes remain on Gaston, however, as his smile fades, his face slowly turning red.
"I thought you were just joking," he says, trying to play off his anger.
"No," I say. "I wasn't then, and I'm not now. Besides, my heart belongs to another."
"What's love got to do with this?" he demands, stepping toward me. The stranger steps in between, placing his hand on Gaston's chest, pushing him back slightly. I notice that he stands just as tall as Gaston, if not a little taller, but he was not nearly so stocky. My heart stops. Gaston wouldn't dare start a fight here, would he?
"I believe the lady said no," says the stranger. Music suddenly fills the ballroom, and the stranger turns to me, holding out his arm as he asks, "Would you care to dance?"
"I would love to," I say, welcoming this chance to get away from Gaston. I take his arm and he leads me to the center of the floor along with the other couples that take this first opportunity to escape the edges of the room. I feel as though everyone is watching us, but the feeling only lasts for a moment as my eyes lock with the stranger's. There is something about his eyes...something that reminds me... And I suddenly feel guilty. I had come mostly to find out what had happened to the Beast, and now, here I am, dancing with a handsome stranger. He knows something is wrong as my feet falter.
"Is everything all right?" he asks.
"Yes," I say, avoiding his eyes. I had already gotten lost in them once; I don't need to do it again.
"You're looking for someone, aren't you?" he asks. I look back to him, questioningly.
"How...How did you know?"
"You have this look about you." He smiles and again, this strange sensation like I should know him washes over me.
"Can I...ask you something?"
"Of course."
"What happened," I say, trying to pull my courage together, preparing myself for the answer, "to those that were here before you all arrived the other night?" His body suddenly tenses, and it's his turn to falter.
"Can we go outside?" he finally asks as we near the high doors that lead to the balcony. I nod and we break away from the group, heading out the doors into the cool night air.
It's funny. Only a few nights ago, I had done this very same thing, and yet, this was all so very different. Beyond the doors, the ballroom buzzes with the happy laughter of the masque. But out here...my heart pounds at the coming answer, as the stranger stepping away from me pulls off his mask. I stare at his back a moment as he brushes the strawberry hair from his face, his hand coming to rest on the back of his neck. I watch him, taking in his movement. It's all so very familiar to me... He finally turns to me, avoiding my eyes.
"Belle, who...exactly are you looking for?" My throat closes for a moment, and it's my turn to avoid his eyes.
"I'm sure it seems silly," I say, brushing past him to sit on the railing, knowing that if I hear what I'm dreading to hear, my legs are not likely to hold out. "But...there was a beast that lived within this castle. He is very dear to me. I just wanted to know what happened to him."
"I...uh…" He exhales heavily and his hesitation confirms my worst fears, and the all too familiar stinging returns to my eyes. I try to stop the tears from spilling over, but I know that would be like holding back the river after the snow melts. My head falls to my hands, trying to hide my tears from the stranger. "Oh, no, wait," he says, coming to sit beside me. "No, Belle, look at me." He cups my chin in his hand, turning my face to his. "Belle," he says quietly, brushing away the tears that roll down my cheeks. I find myself lost in his eyes, my body growing weak as I suddenly am filled with a strange thought right out of one of my books. "It's me," he whispers. I want nothing more than to believe my absurd thought that my Beast and this man could be one in the same. My breath catches in my throat as I suddenly realize it's true. His mannerisms, his eyes, even his voice has tinges buried within that once belonged to my Beast. A smile tugs at my lips, and I have to continually remind myself to breathe. But as he leans toward me, my head spins with a hundred thoughts, of what-ifs and hows. But they are all quickly silenced with the feel of his soft breath on my lips. My breath catches in my throat and my eyes slide closed, waiting, as I myself do not have the strength to move.
"Get your hands off my girl!" We leap up, pulling apart to see Gaston standing in the doorway back into the ballroom. My handsome stranger steps between the hunter and me, blocking Gaston from reaching me as he lunges forward.
"I've had about enough out of you," says my former Beast, pushing Gaston back. "Get out of here." Gaston lunges again, this time pulling a dagger from inside his coat.
"No! Gaston don't!" My cries go unheeded as the two grapple, Gaston obviously the stronger of the two. A crowd gathers at the door, blocking the guards from getting through, despite their cries from within. I leap for Gaston's arm, trying to pull away the dagger that is now dangerously close to my love's neck. Gaston frees his hand, throwing me to the ground, but it's enough for him to lose the upper hand. The human form of my love takes control, overpowering Gaston enough to knock the dagger from his hand. Gaston's footing wavers, and they both stumble toward the railing of the balcony. My love uses this to his advantage, holding Gaston out over the straight drop just beyond the railing.
"Let me go," Gaston pleads. "Let me go, please. Don't hurt me. I'll do anything. Anything!" He growls slightly under his breath before pulling Gaston back onto the balcony.
"Get out," he says, letting Gaston fall to the ground. He turns back to me, kneeling beside me. "Are you all right?" I nod as he helps me to my feet, smiling at me.
"Sire! Look out!" a voice cries from the doorway, but it's too late. His face grows pale and his eyes distant for a moment. He looks to me, and then turns to Gaston. The hunter proudly displays the bloody dagger as it finally occurs to me what has just happened. My love tries to take a step forward, but falls to one knee. I am on the ground as quickly as he is, terrified. The entire world stops; the ringing in my ears is deafening.
"No," I whisper as I lean over him, afraid to touch him as though it would make it worse. As I reach for him, Gaston grabs me, dragging me to my feet. "Let go of me!" I cry, to no avail. He pulls me down the side steps leading off the balcony, while the village stands in the doorway, watching on as we disappear from view.
"I will have you for my wife, make no mistake about that," he growls, pulling me toward his midnight black horse tethered near the stable. Throwing me over the back of the horse, he climbs on, and we ride from the grounds of the castle.